Sub-calibrated projectile for a gun

ABSTRACT

The projectile ( 1 ) is composed of a body divided into a front part ( 2 ) and a rear part ( 3 ), the latter being hollow. In the front part is embedded and fixed under pressure an axial rod ( 4 ) which terminates in a hard tip ( 6 ) located towards the front, which is conical in shape and terminated in the form of a cap ( 7 ), this tip ( 6 ) closing the front end of an air chamber ( 5 ) set axially in the front part ( 2 ) of the body ( 1 ) of the projectile, in such a way that when the projectile impacts, the tip ( 6 ) is displaced towards the inside of the chamber ( 5 ), which it causes to be compressed, thus converting the projectile ( 1 ) into pellet. The body of the projectile ( 1 ) is cylindrical and the helicoidal external grooves, like the body of which they form part, are made of lead with a high antimony content, and due to their remain intact when fired, a fact which, in combination with the hollow rear part ( 3 ), provides the trajectory with a great degree of precision. For loading in the firearm, the projectile is arranged within a container, which retains it and acts additionally as a shock-absorbing element and stopper for the gases generated on firing.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention refers to a subcalibrated projectile intended to be mounted in a container, in which it is suitably retained, in order to achieve the total immobilisation of the projectile inside the cartridge and subsequently in the barrel of the firearm, the container serving as a means to absorb pressure and as a stopper for the firing gases. The subcalibrated projectile is materialised in a single-piece body which is complemented with an axial rod which is embedded under pressure inside the body of the projectile, the rod terminating in a conical point which projects beyond the fore-end of the projectile and also grooved heliocoidally on the outside in a markedly inclined plane, which provides a high gyroscopic velocity and exceptional spin precision.

[0002] The projectile of this invention is intended to be fired by firearms, to be more precise, shotguns used for hunting game.

[0003] The object of the invention is to provide the world of hunting with a projectile which, in addition to offering great range on account of its particular characteristics, and together worth its great shooting speed and precision, is transformed into pellet on impact with the animal, thus bringing about maximum efficiency in the use of the projectile itself.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The projectiles used in hunting shotguns usually have a smooth external surface which gives rise to a lack of stability on being fired and a modest range, although it should be said that there exist some projectiles composed of two bodies fixed to each other and complemented with a rod which, in addition to being bushing through the bodies and comprising the means by which the two are fixed together, is terminated in a point which is harder than the aforementioned bodies, conical in shape and forms frontal medium which has to impact first upon the target, generally upon an animal.

[0005] In relation to this type of projectile, worth mentioning is the one claimed in the Spanish Utility Model 9902957 of the same applicant, where the end of the frontal tip is truncated, forming a tapered body, in such a way that the two basic bodies of the projectile have complementary means of axial connection, being fixed by means of a nut that screws into the rear end of the rod corresponding to the tapered body or tip mentioned above, the rear body being complemented with a back board to conceal the nut for tightening and fixing, while in the front body there is an air chamber which is closed by the base of the tapered body or tip aforementioned, the shape of the body comprising the two aforementioned bodies and the front tapering slightly, and being grooved longitudinally, though with a slight inclination, and being endowed towards the rear with a smooth band which adapts to the corresponding bore of the firearm in order to avoid the escape of gases that originate in the explosion, thus achieving greater firing effectiveness.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The proposed projectile, while based on that disclosed in the aforementioned Spanish Utility Model 9902957 belonging to the same applicant, presents a series of improvements or new features which give rise to some new performance qualities in the behaviour of the projectile.

[0007] To be more precise, the projectile of the invention has a single body, cylindrical in shape, with a totally hollow rear part to lighten the weight and a front part where the corresponding rod is located axially, terminating in the projectile's hard front tip, the latter being conical in shape but for its external base in the shape of a spherical cap which allows the hard point of the projectile's rod to fit perfectly in the mouth of the chamber that is to be found in the rear part of the body, while the rest of the rod is fitted into the latter under pressure in order to be bonded to it perfectly.

[0008] At the same time, it has been planned for the number of grooves set into the lateral surface of the projectile's body be several, and markedly inclined, which enables the projectile to be endowed with a gyroscopic speed which is practically the same as that achieved by means of a rifle.

[0009] The hollow rear part of the body, as well as lightening its weight, allows the trajectory to be equilibrated in flight, thus avoiding pitching or deviations on account of the front part's being much heavier than its rear part or tail.

[0010] The nature or material of the body of the projectile is by preference lead, with high antimony content, thus avoiding possible deformation within the firearm's barrel, even when the pressure to which is subjected is the maximum, approximately 900Kg/cm², so that, since it suffers no deformation within the barrel, its precision increases as its grooves will remain intact.

[0011] At the same time, the subcalibrated projectile of the invention offers the great advantage of causing absolutely no damage to the firearm's necking, since its diameter is two millimetres less than that of the barrel of the firearm or shotgun which fires it.

[0012] The aforementioned projectile also offers the advantage that when the tip, in the form of a cap, impacts against the animal, it sinks back and enters the air chamber to be found in the rear part of the projectile's body where it is transformed into pellet and provokes a shock wave within the animal.

[0013] This projectile, as mentioned above, is complemented with a container formed by some rectangular tabs set at equal angles to each other and provided on their inside face with a claw to fix the projectile, by means of a ring-step in the projectile in which these claws lodge. The tabs emerge from a rear part, which is closed to serve as a base coupled to some means of shock-absorption. This container acts to immobilise the projectile in the cartridge and in the barrel of the firearm, as well as absorbing pressure and serving as a stopper for the firing gases, and is preferably made of dense polythene.

[0014] In an alternative embodiment, the hollow rear part of the projectile is filled with some material, preferably highly pressurised polythene, through which passes the axial rod as it reaches towards the rear part as far as the very lower base of the body of the projectile, where it is fixed under pressure with a special nut.

[0015] In another alternative embodiment, the conical tip forming the front end of the rod takes, instead of the form of a cap, the shape of a perfect cone, resting at its base on the flat end, which terminates the rear part of the body of the projectile.

[0016] In another alternative embodiment, the container's tabs are endowed with some arching projections, instead of with locking claws on its inside face, from which and as far as the free end of the tabs come into being sloping sections or surfaces which, on exposure to the pressurised air, assist in the opening of the tabs in order to set the projectile free, thus making its exit or departure from the container easier.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] In order to complement the current description and with the aim of assisting in the better understanding of the invention's features in accordance with a preferred example of its practical embodiment, a set of drawings is attached, forming an integral part of said description, where for illustrative but not restrictive purposes the following is shown:

[0018]FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal cross-section view of the subcalibrated projectile embodied in accordance with the object of the present invention.

[0019]FIG. 2 shows a side view of the projectile represented in the previous figure.

[0020]FIG. 3 shows a cross-section view of the container for the positioning of the projectile represented in the previous figures.

[0021]FIG. 4 shows a side elevation view of the projectile positioned inside the container represented in the previous figure.

[0022]FIG. 5 shows a longitudinal cross-section view of the projectile, as represented in FIG. 1, in the alternative embodiment whereby the hollow upper part is filled with a material through which passes the rod itself.

[0023]FIG. 6 shows a cross-section view of the front end of the projectile, where the tip of the rod as it emerges out of the front end of the projectile itself is conical in shape.

[0024]FIG. 7 shows a side view of the container in an alternative embodiment whereby the internal projections of the tab are rounded, and from them, and as far as the free end of those tabs, sloping surfaces come into being.

[0025]FIG. 8 shows, finally, a side elevation view of the projectile as a whole, situated inside the container corresponding to the previous figure, and where the projectile's rod has a conical end or tip.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0026] As may be seen in the aforementioned figures, the projectile (1) of the invention comprises a body with a front part (2) and a totally hollow rear part (3), in such a way that a rod (4) is mounted in the front part which is held in place under pressure and passes axially and continuously through a chamber (5) to be found in front part (2), the rod (4) terminating in a tip (6) of conical shape, the external face of which has the form of a cap (7) or convex curve, in such a way that, on account of the tip's (6) taper, it fits into the mouth of the chamber (5), as shown clearly in FIG. 1.

[0027] The body (1) of the projectile is cylindrical and provided with a ring-step (8), close to it front end, more precisely behind the tapered part in which that body (1) terminates towards its front, the body being made of lead with antimony, while the rod (4), together with its tip (6), is made of steel, the tip constituting a fuse. The lateral surface of the projectile's body (1) is endowed with various helicoidal grooves (1′), both on the front part (2) and on the rear, hollow part (3), as shown in FIG. 2.

[0028] The aforementioned projectile (1) is designed to be housed and completely immobilised within a container (9), formed by various tabs (10) set at equal angles to each other in a circular trajectory in order to house the cylindrical body (1) of the projectile properly, as shown in FIG. 4. These tabs (10) are each endowed with claws (11) which lock into the step (8) of the body (1) of the projectile, thus providing a means whereby the body and the container (9) may be interlocked, the rear part of the container being formed by a base (12) from which derives an appropriate means of shock-absorption (13), which means (13) derive from a stopper ring (14) over the corresponding gunpowder of the cartridge wherein will be situated the combination of container (9) and projectile (1).

[0029] In this way, it is the container (9), which holds the projectile (1) inside the firearm's barrel, serving as a shock absorber and stopper for the gases generated by the firing itself.

[0030] The hollow rear (3) of the projectile (1), in addition to lightening the latter's weight, is intended to balance the trajectory of the projectile in flight, avoiding pitching or deviations since it is much lighter than the front part (2) of the same projectile.

[0031] As for the air chamber (5) to be found in the front part (2) of the projectile, when compressed on impact by the tip (6) of the rod (4), it converts said projectile (1) into pellet, as a result of which the efficacy is optimal.

[0032] It should also be mentioned that the projectile is a subcalibrated projectile endowed with helicoidal grooves (1′) which provide the projectile with a gyroscopic speed as if it were fired by a rifle, thus achieving exceptional precision.

[0033] In an alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the hollow (3′) of the rear part (3) is filled with some material (15), preferably high-pressure polythene, through which material passes the rod (4) itself, which reaches backwards before being fixed at its rear end by means of a special pressurised nut (16).

[0034] It is also worth mentioning that the rod (4), instead of having the end (6) of the outer surface rounded or in the form of a cap, is conical in form (6′) and rests at its base on the end formed by a plane corresponding to the front part (2) of the projectile's body (1).

[0035] In another alternative embodiment, the tabs (10) of the container (9), instead of being endowed with the claws (11), has some rounded and internal projections (11′) from which, and as far as the free end of such tabs (10), are formed sections with a sloping surface (17) which assist the departure of the projectile (1) from the container (9), since these sloping planes (17) enable the tabs (10) to open better when exposed to the pressurised air.

[0036] The body of the projectile (1) may be lacking the grooves (11), that is to say, it may present a smooth external surface, which would enable it to be used in rifle-barrelled shotguns and in smooth-bore shotguns. 

1. Subcalibrated projectile for shotguns which, belonging to the same type as those which include a steel rod fixed axially in the body of the projectile, this rod terminating in a tip situated to the fore, having also a series of helicoidal grooves on its lateral surface, being intended for shooting by hunting shotguns, whether smooth-bore or rifle-barrelled, is characterised in that it is composed of a single body (1) with a hollow rear part (3) and a front part (2) in which is duly and suitably fixed under pressure the rod (4) which bears the front tip (6), this tip being conical in form, its convex external surface in the form of a cap, this conical tip (6) closing the mouth of an air chamber (5) to be found in that front part (2) of the body (1) of the projectile, which, on being compressed by the tip (6) on impact with the animal transforms said body of the projectile into pellet; while it has also been intended that, when loaded in the corresponding barrel of the firearm of shotgun, it is positioned in a container (9), formed by tabs (10) arranged at equal angles to each other in a circular trajectory, these tabs (10) each being endowed on their inner face with claws (11) for interlocking on a step (8) set in the form of a ring in the body (1) of the projectile, for the retention of the projectile within said container (9), provision also having been made for the rear part (12) of the container to be closed.
 2. Subcalibrated projectile for shotguns, according to claim 1, characterised in that the projectile (1) is cylindrical and the helicoidal grooves (1′) in its lateral surface are variable in number and markedly inclined.
 3. Subcalibrated projectile for shotguns, according to preceding claims, characterised in that the hollow (3′) created in the rear part (3) of the body (1) of the projectile is occupied by a filler material (15), through which passes a rear prolongation of the rod (4), the rear end of which is fixed by means of special pressurised nuts or some similar element (16).
 4. Subcalibrated projectile for shotguns, according to claim 3, characterised in that the filler material (15), which occupies the hollow (3′) of the rear part (3) of the body of the projectile (1), is high-pressure polythene.
 5. Subcalibrated projectile for shotguns, according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the front end of the rod (4) is conical in shape (6′), resting at its base on the flat end corresponding to the front part (2) of the body (1) of the projectile.
 6. Subcalibrated projectile for shotguns, according to preceding claims, characterised in that the tabs (10) corresponding to the container (9) have some internal projections (11′) with an arched profile in order to retain the body of the projectile (1), with the special feature that, from these arching projections (11′) and as far as the free end of the tabs (10) are formed inclined planes (17) which assist in the departure of the body of the projectile (1) from the container (9). 